Interim MBTA Chief Picked As Poftak Exits

BOSTON, MA — The MBTA's deputy general manager will take over the transit agency in 2023 following General Manager Steve Poftak's departure.

State Transportation Secretary Jamey Tesler said Thursday that Deputy General Manager Jeffrey Gonneville will take over as the interim GM on Jan. 4 — the day after Poftak leaves, and the same day incoming Gov. Maura Healey will be sworn in.

Poftak announced in November he would step down coinciding with the change in governors.

"Jeff is a seasoned leader and has vast knowledge of all aspects of the T, from budgeting to service to capital investments. I am confident Jeff will be able to guide the MBTA well during this time of transition," Tesler said in a news release.

Gonneville, a UMass grad and 20-year T veteran, previously served as the agency's chief operating officer.

It's not clear how long Gonneville will serve. Healey said Wednesday she would like to find a permanent general manager within weeks or months.

"We’re glad that this is essentially a worldwide search. I hope this is a matter of weeks and not several months. That’s the goal. We are hustling hard for the next general manager," she said at an event in Everett Wednesday.

The next general manager will oversee an crucial phase in T history. A recent federal inquiry into the agency's found major safety deficiencies, and the agency oversaw two major subway line shut-downs earlier this fall to make infrastructure upgrades.